Why Streaming Services Remove Content Including Originals from their Platforms


Paramount Plus has become the latest streaming service to remove low-performing content from its vast library. Real World: Homecoming, the true-crime show Interrogation, Jordan Peele’s reboot of the Twilight Zone, the dark comedy Guilty Party, the crime drama Coyote, the comedy series No Activity, and the animated show The Harper House are all getting the axe.

Showtime and Paramount+ are in the process of merging into a single service with the unwieldy name Paramount+ with Showtime. In preparation for this integration, Showtime is also purging content. And shows with some big names attached are included. Showtime isn't kidding when they say Kidding starring Jim Carey has to go. Crime drama American Rust starring Jeff Daniels will be left to rust. Well, not really. It is getting a second season on Amazon's terribly-named Freevee service. On Becoming a God in Central Florida, a dark comedy starring Kirsten Dunst is also being pulled.

In August 2022, Variety reported that HBO Max had removed 36 titles, including 20 originals. HBO Max "attributed the decision to the pending merge of the platform with Discovery+." Several of the dropped shows were family or children's programming. AMC dropped the legal drama 61st Street even though the second season had already finished filming.

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So why do streaming services remove shows from their platforms? And why would they remove the originals they paid so much to create. There are a few reasons. 

Taxes, Taxes, Taxes

When HBO Max canceled the Batgirl movie, taxes were a major motivator. James M. Bandoblu, Jr., a partner at New York-based law firm Hodgson Russ told Newsweek, "By shelving the Batgirl film, Warner Bros. will be able to reduce the loss incurred in producing Batgirl against its net income from other movies. Thus, the loss from Batgirl will reduce taxable income." Warner Bros. didn't think the movie would do well, so they decided to cut their losses.

Deadline made a similar point about AMC dropping content. "AMC Network said today it will take write-downs for up to $475 million as it restructures its business to cut costs." AMC calls these decisions “strategic programming assessments.”

The Hollywood Reporter also lists tax write-offs as a reason to remove original content. Another is the potential to sell the rights to a show and license it to a third party. An example of this is moving American Rust to Freevee. "Removing completed seasons allows Showtime and their competitors to take a tax write-down on content as well as shop titles that are owned in-house to third-party buyers as many seek to monetize content that underperformed."

Reducing Costs

Another big financial motivator is that by dropping titles from their platforms, streaming providers no longer have to shell out money to the casts, crews, and creators of low-performing content. When streamers drop poorly performing titles, they save money that would have been paid out as residuals to actors and writers.

Removing Clutter

Lastly, many services want to declutter by removing content few subscribers want to watch. HBO Max acquired Sesame Street in 2019 as part of a five-year deal, but children's content, including Sesame Street, isn't doing well on the platform. There is little reason to continue hosting content viewers aren't interested in watching.

Netflix is said to have a “discovery” problem because there is so much content on the platform that it's hard to find their best stuff. Streaming services don't want to get a reputation for having a lot of low-value shows and movies. Households are increasingly balking at paying high costs for cable and satellite services that are filled with rarely viewed channels. Every subscriber pays for those channels that they don't watch. The same is true for streaming services. Subscribers are paying for low-performing content they don't watch. By removing poor performers, streaming platforms can cut costs, which ultimately benefits subscribers.

Peacock Drops Free Tier for New Customers


According to The Streamable, NBC's Peacock service will no longer allow new signups for its Free Tier. New customers will only be shown the Paid Plans, which are Premium for $4.99 and Premium Plus (which includes Your Local NBC Channel LIVE, 24/7) for $9.99. Existing users will still have access to the free tier, at least for now. Peacock TV is often listed as a free streaming option because of its generous free tier.

Some of Peacock's free content serve as teasers, such as offering the first episode of a Premium show or the first two seasons of popular series like The Office and Parks and Recreation. However, there is also a lot of completely free content like Battlestar Galactica, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Downton Abbey, Superstore, and Saturday Night Live. Several movies are offered completely free of charge.

The Streamable says the change has been confirmed by a source at NBC Universal.

"The Premium Tier is expected to grow to 100,000 hours of content in 2023, with Poker Face, live sports like the Women’s World Cup, Big Ten Football, and Premier League, and a library of shows including The Office and Yellowstone.”

Peacock offers content from NBCUniversal studios and other third-party content providers, including live NBC TV, a variety of TV series, films, news, and sports. The service has about 20 million paid subscribers. They are currently offering a deal for the Premium ad-supported tier for $29.99 for an annual plan.

What The Expanse Returning as a Comic Book Series Might Mean for the TV Series


The Expanse TV show is based on a series of nine novels by the duo James S.A. Corey. The television series only covers the first six of these books. Many fans were disappointed when Amazon Prime Video chose to end the series rather than adapt the last three books. And there might have been a logical reason for that decision. There is a 30-year time skip between book six, Babylon's Ashes, and book seven, Persepolis Rising. That big skip might not go over well with show-only fans, who would likely expect season 7 to pick up soon after season 6. Many may want to know what happened in that 30-year time period. Thanks to a new comic book series titled 'The Expanse: Dragon Tooth,' we will find out. Andy Diggle, who worked on the new series, posted this on Twitter:

"The Expanse: Dragon Tooth is a 12-issue @boomstudios series by me & @RubineCR with covers by @cjwardart, and overseen by Daniel Abraham & Ty Franck - aka James SA Corey, the original creators of #TheExpanse. Our story spans decades, picking up the action right after Season 6 of the TV show. That’s a lot of history to build on. If you know and love #TheExpanse like I do, you’ll know there’s plenty more to explore"
The SciTrek channel on YouTube has mentioned the possibility of a new The Expanse TV series that takes place in the period between Babylon's Ashes and Persepolis Rising. The individual behind this channel says he has insider knowledge. He claimed that Amazon may still be interested in making a spinoff of The Expanse, focused on those intervening 30 years. And this would make sense. A spinoff of The Expanse that focuses on exploring the various planets through the ring gates, something along the lines of Stargate SG-1, could absolutely fill that gap. This new comic series potentially provides material for that spinoff. And it would feature the characters fans know and love. The comics are based on the current cast, based on Diggle's tweets.

"Holden. Naomi. Amos. Bobbie. Clarissa. Avasarala. Drummer. Get on board. Suit up and strap in. We’re gonna be pulling some high-g maneuvers!"
If Amazon decides that it is done with The Expanse, all is not lost because they don't own the rights. Instead, those rights are owned by a company called Alcon Entertainment. If Amazon doesn't want to continue the series, another streaming service like HBO Max, Netflix, or Apple could pick it up. The big question is, will all of the original cast want to return if a new series is greenlit?


Why Some Critics Disliked the Netflix Show Wednesday Starring Jenna Ortega


Considering how popular the Netflix show Wednesday is, I was surprised by both the critics and audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes. I thought the show was a lot of fun, so I expected higher scores. The show has a score of 71% from critics and 87% from audiences. That critic score is fresh, but it's a lot lower than I expected. So, I dug into some of the negative reviews to see why some negative reviewers didn't care for the show.

The critics' score for Wednesday is 71% on Rotten Tomatoes

The Film Companion reviewer complains about "Wednesday's weak characterisation...there isn't enough vulnerability to help us root for her." She also thought many things in the series didn't make sense, "Like, how did the villain raise a dead guy when we were told that one can't raise the dead? After a while, one settles into the acceptance that there isn't much point in asking questions." Finally, she complains, "With eight hours at its disposal, Wednesday's suspense takes too long to come together."

The Film Companion reviewer complained about "Wednesday's weak characterisation"

The Pajiba reviewer praises Jenna Ortega's performance as Wednesday but is less impressed with Tim Burton as director. "...there are only a handful of scenes and set pieces that feel remotely more like Tim Burton than an episode of Riverdale...Burton fails to meaningfully put his mark on the beloved, and at this point much-adapted, Addams Family." Race-baiting is very on brand for Pajiba, so it's not surprising that the reviewer takes issue with Wednesday's ancestor being "white and blonde...Unfortunately I was under the impression this iteration of the Addams was going to highlight Wednesday as an angsty Latina."

The CBR reviewer complains that Luis Guzmán and Catherine Zeta-Jones only show up in two episodes, even though it shouldn't be all that surprising that a series titled Wednesday would mainly focus on her rather than the whole family. One thing he liked about earlier iterations of The Addams Family is "the way they stick together, presenting a united front against the world." He also complains, 

"While the Addamses were always known for being 'creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky,' they've generally existed in a heightened version of the real world. Wednesday changes all that, making Nevermore home to vampires, werewolves, sirens, and other supernatural creatures."
One issue a lot of fans have with reboots, sequels, or prequels of popular franchises is the lack of respect for the source material. This includes making radical changes to characters and the worlds they exist in. Yes, the Addams Family did exist in the real world, and the reaction of "normies" to their antics was a major source of laughs. Wednesday does a one-eighty by putting a member of the Addams family into an environment where almost everyone is creepy, kooky, mysterious, and spooky. The show also takes a close-knit family and splits them up. And it creates tension between Wednesday and Morticia. 

However, rehashing the past isn't always interesting either. Why make an Addams Family series that's similar to everything that has come before? On the other hand, each franchise is, in a sense, based on a formula. Stray too far from that formula, and it no longer feels like that brand. Respecting the source material by not straying too far from the formula while also doing something different is a delicate balancing act. I think Wednesday largely succeeded in showing respect for what came before while also being a new and fresh take on the Addams Family.

The TV Guide reviewer has similar criticisms. "What does it mean for Wednesday Addams when everyone around her self-identifies as an outcast?" The reviewer does acknowledge that Tim Burton called Wednesday "an outcast among outcasts." She also thinks the school of outcasts was wasted. "What does it matter that Wednesday's classmates have magical powers if they hardly ever use them because they're too busy worrying about who will ask them to the dance?"

The TV Guide reviewer didn't care for Wednesday's "outcast among outcasts" theme

The AV Club reviewer thinks the series is influenced by "...everything from Veronica Mars and Mean Girls to Harry Potter and Wicked...But the influence you won't find anywhere is, ironically, The Addams Family." She also labels Wednesday a Mary Sue. "Everyone she meets becomes instantly fascinated by her, and she's skilled at everything she tries—cello, martial arts, fencing, novel-writing, archery, and botany, to name a few." But that is kind of an Addams Family thing. They are weird but also very talented.

A commenter on the Mr H Reviews channel on YouTube disputed the Mary-Sue claim. stevecromptom9910 said, 

"Wednesday is not a Mary Sue; she is not liked by most people, she loses the swordfight with the siren, gets knocked out, makes wrong guesses about possible suspects, misjudges people trying to help her, fails to save Rowan, her Friends get really made at her, she gets arrested, she gets expelled from the school and probably other things too."
The Flickering Myth reviewer criticizes "...the decision to pare the expected gothic stylings down in favour of cloyingly dull YA melodrama...The YA-ness of it all otherwise becomes exhausting, especially if you dare to binge it."

To sum up, negative reviewers mainly criticized the show for being too CW-esque and for changing the original theme of outcasts among normies to outcasts among outcasts. Some negative reviewers also think Wednesday is a Mary Sue. Time will tell how critics react to season 2 of the show, which was recently announced by Netflix.

How to Watch Local Channels Without Cable TV, Satellite or an Antenna

This is a quick article to let you know some places you can watch local channels if you don't want to sign up for an expensive streaming TV provider like YouTube TV, Fubo TV, or Hulu with Live TV. This article will be quick because there aren't lots of options available.

LocalBTV

I'll start with LocalBTV, which offers free over-the-air channels. However, while it comes with free local channels and a handy, easy-to-use DVR, it doesn't offer the major networks CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox. But if you mainly want local news and public access channels, this may be exactly what you need. LocalBTV hopes to offer a Premium plan at some point that will include the major networks. However, those plans might never come to fruition if they can't strike a deal with CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox. 

PBS

The PBS app offers free PBS content.

The PBS app includes a live PBS feed

CW

The CW app offers free access to CW shows. 

The CW app includes full episodes

Paramount+

You can watch Your local CBS station live on Paramount Plus if you pay for their Premium Plan, which is $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year. If you are a long-time subscriber and signed up when this service was CBS All Access, you should still have access to your local CBS for $5.99 a month or $60 a year. However, if you cancel and then sign up again, you will have to pay $9.99. 

Peacock TV

Peacock TV will be offering live NBC TV starting November 30, 2022. According to Tech Crunch "Peacock announced that on November 30, its Premium Plus subscribers will get 24/7 access to their local NBC station in all of NBC's 210 markets, including live TV programming like local news, sports, weather, and entertainment." The Premium Plus plan is $9.99 a month or $99.99 per year. 

Hulu

Hulu offers lots of Fox and ABC TV shows but doesn't offer any live streams.

Hulu streams many Fox and ABC TV shows

Sling TV

I'll finish with Sling TV. It costs $40 a month and comes with two local channels, NBC and Fox. However, these locals aren't offered in all areas. Check if they are available in your area before signing up.

Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis Have Returned to Amazon Prime Video


It has been a roller coaster ride for fans of the Stargate franchise. First, the various shows in the franchise were removed from Netflix and Hulu. However, that wasn't the end of the world because, in early September 2022, they were added to Prime Video. The rights to the Stargate franchise are owned by MGM, which was recently purchased by Amazon. It was likely due to that purchase that Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Stargate Universe (SGU) were removed from most competing streaming services (Atlantis is still available on Hulu, and all the shows are available for free on-demand on Pluto TV). Then in early December, much to every Stargate fan's surprise and consternation, Prime Video listed the shows as leaving the service on December 30. 

Stargate SG-1 Novel
Sacrifice Moon
Many Stargate fans assumed that the shows were being removed from Prime Video to be made available on the new MGM Plus (MGM+) video streaming service, which will be available in early 2023. That raised the prospect of having to subscribe to yet another streaming service to access the popular science fiction franchise.

Now just a few days after being removed, Stargate has again returned to Prime Video. However, an article on Gateworld pointed out that the shows have returned:

"with an inferior copy of the episodes...Previously episodes were available to stream in widescreen, with a higher picture quality. As of today SG-1 is instead available in its syndication edit (for Seasons One through Seven)."
So, the good news is that Stargate is back on Amazon Prime Video. The bad news is that, for now, it is Standard Definition (SD) syndication versions of the episodes.


YouTube TV, Hulu TV, Sling, DirecTV Stream, Fubo TV & Philo Side-by-Side Comparison


A few years ago, I did a side-by-side comparison of streaming TV services; since then, a lot has changed. So, it's time for an update. One of the biggest changes from my previous video is price. That's what I will start with.

One thing I have included is the price per channel. This is a rough estimate because most of these services don't provide the exact number of channels. For example, Youtube TV has 100+ as its channel count, while Philo has 60+. So, I use those numbers for my calculation.

The cheapest option is Philo. However, it's cheap because it doesn't have any local channels or sports channels. It has some news channels but not the big three: CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. Philo charges roughly 42 cents per channel. The next cheapest is Sling. Sling does come with the big three news channels. However, offerings vary by plan. 

Sling has two plans: Blue and Orange. You can pay extra to get both. The Blue plan is the most generous, with 41 channels, while Orange has only 31. Blue and Orange combined offer 47 channels, so obviously, there is a lot of channel overlap. Sling Orange has ESPN, while Blue doesn't. It's actually very easy to switch between plans. For example, if you signed up for Blue but want to watch ESPN, you can switch back and forth. I've done it a bunch of times. Sling Orange is the second most expensive option based on per-channel cost. Sling also has a bunch of add-ons like a news add-on, kids add-on, and sports add-on. Sling does offer local channels, but only NBC and Fox. However, they don't offer them in all markets, so check if they are offered in your area before signing up.

Hulu with Live TV is the most expensive, but it does come with ad-supported Hulu. It's also stingy with channels, offering only 60+ for $70 a month. Fubo TV is considered the best option for sports. It also has the second lowest per-channel cost. It's on par with Hulu and DirecTV Stream in terms of cost but offers a lot more channels. FuboTV and DirecTV Stream have multiple plans. I only included their cheapest plans here. Check the description for links to their plans.


Streaming TV Price Comparison

Next is DVR space. Four of these plans offer unlimited DVR space. However, Philo offers unlimited for a year, meaning content expires when it hits the one-year point. Sling has the stingiest DVR offering with just 50 hours of space. However, you can upgrade to 200 hours for $5 a month. When the DVR fills up, the oldest content is deleted to make room for new recordings. This could be a problem if several family members are sharing the DVR. If you record a movie or show and put off watching it for a while, it may not be there when you are ready to sit down and watch. The only other limited DVR offering is from Fubo, but that is a more generous 1000 hours. Hulu with Live TV and Sling are the only services that don't offer a free trial.

Streaming TV DVR and Free Trial

Last up is simultaneous streams and the number of accounts or profiles. DirecTV Stream doesn't have profiles. However, it does offer unlimited screens at home and 3 on the go. Fubo TV is kind of confusing. If I understand correctly, all of their plans come with the Unlimited option, but that unlimited option allows viewing on up to 10 screens at home and 2 on the go. If you sign up for their Family Share add-on, you get an extra screen on the go. You can also purchase an Unlimited add-on. I don't know if that means you get an extra 10 screens for up to 20. They don't explain it very well. Fubo TV allows up to 6 profiles. With YouTube TV, you can have up to 6 accounts, each of which comes with a DVR. However, only 3 accounts can be used at the same time. 

When I made my video three years ago, a few of these providers had a two-screen limit. Hulu with Live TV is the only holdout. They still only allow viewing on 2 screens. You can pay $9.99 to get Unlimited screens and 3 on the go. Hulu allows up to 6 profiles. Sling TV doesn't have profiles. The Orange plan allows viewing on only one screen. The Blue Plan is more generous, allowing 3 simultaneous streams. If you pay for both, you can stream on up to 4 devices at the same time. Philo offers up to 10 profiles and allows streaming on up to 3 devices at the same time.

Streaming TV Simultaneous Streams & Accounts

In my opinion, YouTube TV and Fubo TV are the two best options out of these six. They have the largest number of channels and some of the lowest per-channel costs. YouTube has the best DVR of the two, while Fubo is better for simultaneous streams. Hulu with Live TV is the most overpriced based on what you get. It's $70 for only 60+ channels and 2 simultaneous streams. Of the two cheapest options, I think Sling has broader appeal because it offers two local channels in many areas, the major news channels, and some sports options. I hope this side-by-side comparison gives you some idea of which streaming service is best for you.

Will a New Stargate Series Without Brad Wright Be Any Good?


It looks like Brad Wright, the co-creator of Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Stargate Universe, may not be involved in a possible new Stargate series. According to GateWorld, Wright began work on a new Stargate project in late 2018 or early 2019. By the time the pilot script was ready, the Covid pandemic happened and upended everything. Then Amazon bought MGM. That purchase included the rights to the Stargate franchise. 

When a Twitter user asked Wright, "is there any news about the possible new Stargate Series?" he responded by saying, "you won't hear news from me. MGM did hire me to write a pilot for a new show but that was just before covid hit. Timing couldn't have been much worse. All the players have changed in the interim so it's likely destined to gather dust. Would've been fun, though."
So, will there be a new Stargate series? Brad Wright thinks the answer is yes. "MGM/Amazon will make another Stargate. It may just take some time for them to decide what they want to do. But they own it. Not me."
If Amazon does decide to make a new series, should fans be excited or wary? Unfortunately, many studios don't respect the franchises they own. For example, Amazon bought some rights to Lord of the Rings and made Rings of Power. Many Tolkien fans think Rings of Power made a mockery of the source material. Some Stargate fans are concerned. A Twitter user responding to Brad Wright said, "They’ll probably massacre it like they did with the #LordOfTheRings"
On a Sci-Trek video on YouTube titled "Stargate series creator confirms he is not returning to the franchise" commenter Jason King said, "I have the horrible feeling this is going to go the same way as most recent reboots.... straight down the toilet." Another commenter LesterTheInvestor said, "Step one on how to alienate an existing fanbase... Hopefully step two won't be another step in the wrong direction."

The fact that Amazon isn't including one of the original creators may not bode well. Shutting him out may indicate they want to go in a different direction with a new show. The all-important question is, will that direction emphasize "diversity" over good storytelling?

If all diversity meant to modern Hollywood was having people from a variety of backgrounds, and those backgrounds had little bearing on the stories being told, that wouldn't be a big deal. Unfortunately, an emphasis on diversity in Hollywood often leads to obnoxious female characters and weak or unlikeable male characters. And rather than thought-provoking storylines, viewers getting beaten over the head with social messaging, often relating to race and gender. Conveying political messages becomes more important than telling good stories. 

Without Brad Wright at the helm, will a new series have strong, likable female characters like Samantha Carter and Janet Fraiser, and strong, likable male characters like Jack O'Neill, Teal'c, and Daniel Jackson? If some modern takes on older franchises are anything to go by, the answer might be no. Consider that many longtime fans of Star Trek, Star Wars, Marvel, Lord of the Rings, Terminator, Dr. Who, and Ghostbusters have been unhappy with some recent offerings. Will Stargate fans be added to this sorry list?